Venezuela - President Nicolas Maduro & his wife "captured and flown out of country" by U.S. Army Delta Force during "large scale attack" - Jan 3, 2026

[otto]

She “had no choice?”

It sounds like Trump did not understand that kidnapping the president meant the Vice President would replace him.

 

[otto]

Darn it! And I was seriously considering moving to Canada. It never ends….

The US cannot conquer Canada. Canada is the second largest country in the world. No matter what the US tried, someone somewhere would prevent a small country invading a large country Bob and Doug McKenzie style.

 

[SouthAussie]

The country's defence minister Vladimir Padrino López claimed the strikes hit civilian areas and said the government was compiling information about dead and injured people.

Venezuela's government issued an official statement denouncing the "extremely serious military aggression" by the US "against Venezuelan territory and population in civilian and military locations".

What we know about US strikes on Venezuela

Maduro and his wife were taken from "a house that was more like a fortress", Donald Trump says.

www.bbc.com

 

[PrairieWind]

It sounds like Trump did not understand that kidnapping the president meant the Vice President would replace him.

That vice president isn't duly elected either. Edmundo González Urrutia should be taking the oath of office. SEveral SA nations already recognize him as the president, Argentina, Peru, Chile.

 

[otto]

That vice president isn't duly elected either. Edmundo González Urrutia should be taking the oath of office. SEveral SA nations already recognize him as the president, Argentina, Peru, Chile.

So ... if Trump and his wife were kidnapped by Russia, the Democrats would take over the US government?

 

[PrairieWind]

So ... if Trump and his wife were kidnapped by Russia, the Democrats would take over the US government?

Of course not. Maduro did NOT win the last election. Even the UN agrees he was not legitimate. Edmundo González Urrutia won the election. He had to flee after Maduro issued a warrant for his arrest. Maduro just stayed in office. Why is ANYONE defending MAduro?

 

[browneyes]

Oh boy, this is not going to end well. MOO IMO

 

[otto]

Of course not. Maduro did NOT win the last election. Even the UN agrees he was not legitimate. Edmundo González Urrutia won the election. He had to flee after Maduro issued a warrant for his arrest. Maduro just stayed in office. Why is ANYONE defending MAduro?

People around the world are defending the sovereign country of Venezuela. The US has kidnapped a foreign leader in order to seize control of the country and to steal land and resources, per the clearly articulated November 2025 National Security Strategy.

 

[Vaderman]

Has there been any death estimates from the bombings?

Only the BEST estimates. No one has ever heard of estimates like these. JMO

 

[SouthAussie]

The U.S. operation in Venezuela “contravenes the principle of non-use of force,” a fundamental principle of international law, France's foreign minister said.

“France reiterates that no lasting political solution can be imposed from outside and that sovereign peoples alone decide their future,” Jean-Noël Barrot said in a statement on X.

The U.S. operation will have “serious consequences for global security,” he added.

Live updates: Trump says the U.S. will 'run' Venezuela until a transition can take place

Follow live updates as a series of explosions are heard around Venezuela's capital after a military buildup in the Caribbean, tanker seizures, and Trump pressing President Nicolás Maduro to step down.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Vaderman]

Trump says US is going to RUN Venezuela after Maduro arrest

Trump says the US will take over the South American nation until a new leader can be found.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Donald Trump says the United States will govern Venezuela indefinitely after sending in special forces to snatch the country's president as he slept.

Addressing journalists hours after the shocking capture of Nicolas Maduro and wife Cilia in Caracas on Saturday, the president said: 'We're going to run the country until as such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.

'We don't want to be involved with someone else get in and we have the same situation as we had for the last long number of years.

 

[NuttMegg]

Look at the big picture. The US is attempting to seize control of a sovereign nation based on claims of freeing the people, stopping the drugs, regaining control of "stolen" oil, land and assets. None of that is true. The US has stated the intent to seize control of the Western Hemisphere, and this is one step towards that outcome.

The US will be confronted by China's established development and infrastructure in the region, and Russia's alliance with Venezuela.

"China's strong influence and presence in Latin America don't fit into that [US] plan.

De las Casas [Peru] welcomes the arrival of the mega-port and is looking forward to China's other ambitious plans for this region, as they are already in place. China wants to invest in a railway network that will also provide Brazil with a direct rail connection to the port of Chancay. ... "It has always been my dream to have a railway network in South America, because that will enable us to do even better business with Asia," says director De las Casas.

This is a thorn in the side of US President Trump. His administration's recently published foreign policy clearly outlines Trump's plans for Latin America. [The US] sees [South America] as America's "backyard," harking back to the "Monroe Doctrine" of 1823. In that doctrine, then-US President James Monroe stated that the entire Western Hemisphere falls within the US sphere of influence."

Nauwe banden China en Latijns-Amerika zijn Trump een doorn in het oog

China investeerde de afgelopen jaren flink in infrastructuur in Latijns-Amerika. De toegenomen invloed van China in de regio wordt nauwlettend gevolgd door de VS, die het gebied als zijn achtertuin beschouwt.

nos.nl

Yes, the BRI , belt & road initiative. That's why we hamfisted Panama to curtail Chinese influence in the canal, forced them out of BRI. The Chinese are establishing links, partners like Peru/Chancay. Infrastructure, markets. Throughout the world, now especially in SA and Africa. So while the USA cuts ties with the rest of the world, cutting USAID in Africa, China steps in. We eschew diplomacy while the Chinese are acquiring water rights throughout SA by providing cheap housing for the owners of the water in exchange, as a small example.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

You're right,Maduro was not the President. Maduro needed to be arrested and the people deserves to be free to choose whomever they want to rule them without fear.

I soooo agree that Maduro needed to be arrested for a number of crimes...
BUT that is not how this will roll out.
I think we have seen many power roll outs over decades and centuries to see how many falsehoods about giving rights back to the people.... those fantasies have simply not come to pass....
(*much of the time).
I do think there will be a strong effort to get Venezuleans back to country in promises of jobs... but not freedome to choose.
DTs need for power, assets, resources, land and oil are pretty clear. moo moo moo

 

[nhmemorymaker]

With all due respect, it’s not a bad thing that Venezuela can be a wealthy nation again IF Trump will let it happen. I have grave doubts about that, especially since now Venezuela is going to be “occupied” for an indefinite period of time.

Some Venezueleans may be wealthy again... but it will not be by their own means and terms. moo.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Some countries (Iran, Russia, China) care - they just lost an ally. And I agree on Greenland. Scary times.

dbm

 

[nhmemorymaker]

That's presumes that US neocolonialism will be successful in seizing control of a sovereign nation for the purpose of stealing assets, land and oil. Every country in the world, including South American countries, China, Russia, UK, Canada, EU, Australia and so on, have to agree that the US can kidnap foreign leaders to steal assets.

If the US is not pushed back, I guarantee that Greenland will be next. This is the US testing the water with a country that they presume will go under the radar - no one really cares. The next target will be bigger, but the precedent will be set.

the second (probably the first) good-word-of-the-day... Precedence.
The clock has been totally reset.

@otto how can we stay better in-the-know about Greenland. As you state, I do think many of us are just not in-the-know.

moo

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Push back? Is ANY nation going to stand up for Maduro? He was not the lawful president. He had hijacked the country. Now the lawful president can take office

When?
Now? “She’s, I guess, the president," Trump said

 

[nhmemorymaker]

This is step one.

When the US shifted the meaning of Freedom of Speech, they started by arresting students who protested the circumstances in Gaza. No one reacted. Some students fled to Canada to avoid arrest. Over time, that has expanded to silencing comedians, then censoring news.

It starts with something that doesn't matter to most, or which many can justify based on what they hear from the US president. Then it expands to something that doesn't sit well with many more.

Greenland next. Then more countries in South America - all based on the Monroe Doctrine.

"After years of neglect, the United States will reassert and enforce the Monroe Doctrine to restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere, and to protect our homeland and our access to key geographies throughout the region. We will deny non-Hemispheric competitors the ability to position forces or other threatening capabilities, or to own or control strategically vital assets, in ourHemisphere. This “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine is a common-sense and potent restoration of American power and priorities, consistent with American security interests."

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-National-Security-Strategy.pdf

omg @otto. I was just reading some of this document from November 2025.

Now, I must print and read it all. I encourage others to do the same.
Thank you so very much for posting and encouraging the reading of this.

 

[Sarahlou]

In my humble opinion only, let’s make this clear…

The U.S. as we’ve known it all our lives has ended. The rest of the world will consider it a rogue state.

So, it appears a democracy can last about 250 years before collapsing into a state of thuggery and corruption.

Never thought I'd see the day that it came to all this, but that is exactly what's happened.

 

[otto]

Yes, the BRI , belt & road initiative. That's why we hamfisted Panama to curtail Chinese influence in the canal, forced them out of BRI. The Chinese are establishing links, partners like Peru/Chancay. Infrastructure, markets. Throughout the world, now especially in SA and Africa. So while the USA cuts ties with the rest of the world, cutting USAID in Africa, China steps in. We eschew diplomacy while the Chinese are acquiring water rights throughout SA by providing cheap housing for the owners of the water in exchange, as a small example.

The 2025 National Security Strategy requires that all trade between South American and China is terminated. The US wants full ownership and control of the Western Hemisphere. However, seizing property that is 60% owned by China opens the door to a proxy war between the US and China + Russia in South America.

"The [Pero]port is 60 percent owned by the Chinese state-owned company COSCO (China Ocean Shipping Company) and the remaining 40 percent by the Peruvian mining company Volcan. More than three billion dollars have been invested, and a vast industrial park has been built near the port. It is the first port in the region capable of accommodating ships with a draft of twenty meters. The port also has dedicated soy terminals.
...

From the almost fully automated megaport of Chancay, Peru, ships loaded with containers sail from Peru to China in three weeks. From Peru, ships carrying raw materials such as iron, copper, minerals, soy, and fruit depart for China. Conversely, cars, computers, and all sorts of technology are shipped to South America."

Nauwe banden China en Latijns-Amerika zijn Trump een doorn in het oog

China investeerde de afgelopen jaren flink in infrastructuur in Latijns-Amerika. De toegenomen invloed van China in de regio wordt nauwlettend gevolgd door de VS, die het gebied als zijn achtertuin beschouwt.

nos.nl